Stocking-holder.



N. BLOUNT.

STOCKING HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17. 1914.

1,173,645. Patented Feb. 29,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N. BLOUNT. STOCKING HOLDER.

N FILED IULY1I,\914.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

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NELSON BLOUNT, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

STOCKING-HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

Application filed July 17, 1914. Serial No. 851,552.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, NELSON BLoUNT, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stocking- Holders, of which the following is a specification.

An object of my invention is to provide a stocking container comprising a tube made to hold stockings and provided with an opening at one end for the introduction of the stockings and an opening at the opposite end for the removal of the stockings, thus insuring the removal in rotation.

A further object is to so construct the container that it may be used as an original package to hold the stockings and in which they may be sold, the parts being so arranged that stockings packed in the container will be kept. in a clean and fresh condition.

WVith other objects in view, which will be referred to, my invention consists in the peculiar combination and novel arrangement of parts, such as will be hereinafter more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawingsFigure 1 is a view in perspective showing an adaptation of my container to a circular tube. Fig. 2 is a transverse horizontal sectional View through the container disclosed in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of one adaptation of the container made in rectangular form. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view through the container disclosed in Fig. 3 on the line H thereof. Fig. 5 is a view in end elevation of the container disclosed in Fig. 3 showing this container in a collapsed or knocked down form. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig.3 of a slightly modified form of Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 77 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

In the disclosure in Fig. 1, the body of the container is illustrated as made in the form of a cylindrical tube which is open at both ends. This container tube 1 is I illustrated as provided with a cord 2 at the upper end by which it may be suspended at any desired point and a cord 3 is looped through opening 4 provided I through the wall of the tube 1 adj acentthe lower edge thereof to extend across and form an open-work closure for the lower end of this tube. An opening 5 is provided through the wall of the tube 1 at one side thereof and this opening, as illustrated in Fig. 1, is preferably made parabolical in outline to thus present a pleasing appearance and at the same time permits ready removal of the stockings there through.

In the use of this form of container, the stockings are folded or rolled to a size to be received within the open upper end of the tubular body 1 and the stockings thus folded are dropped into the tube where they fall onto the cord 3 and are held adiacent the opening 5, then as other stockings are inserted into the tube they will rest upon the first pair which is supported by the cord 3 and the removal of the lowermost pair of stockings through the opening 5 will permit that pair immediately above to rest upon and be supported by the cord 3.

'While the tubular body of the container is composed of the front 6, the back 7 and the two side members 8 and 9, these parts being secured together to form a rectangular tube member which is open and unobstructed at either end and the connection between the members provided to permit flexibility and to allow the tube to be collapsed to a flat form as illustrated in Fig.

5. A portion of the front member 6 adjacent the lower edge thereof is out along three sides to provide a flap 10 which flap is preferably of a longitudinal extent less than the distance from front to back across the tube and is of a transverse extent equal to the distance between the side members 8 and 9. This flap 10 may be bent inwardly along the line 10 to wedge between the side walls 8 and 9 and to extend at right angles to the general extent of the front members 6 to form a bottom closure for the tube. The tube or container provided by the structure as above set forth can be collapsed to the relation indicated in Fig. 5 and can stockings may be removed immediately thereabove.

This container may be provided with any suitable means whereby it may be supported in the position desired and also a cover might be provided to close the upper end.

The disclosure in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 is of a slightly modified form of container and in this form the structure is perhaps better adapted to use as an original container than the two forms just described. In this form, the tube of the stocking container is composed of the front 18, the back 14, and the side members 15 and 16 secured together to form a rectangular tube and held in the proper relation by a bottom member 17 which is secured in the lower end of the tube. In the present disclosure a cover 18 is shown hinged to the back member 14 of the rectangular tube and this cover has a flange 19 provided around the edge thereof to fit down over the side members of the tube to form a better closure at the upper end of the tube. The front member 13 of the tube has an opening 20 formed therethrough at a point adjacent the connection of the bottom member 17 and a covering layer 21 is provided to be secured over and to close this opening 20. This construction of the container makes the tube substantially a closed box in which the hosiery can be packed at the mill and in which it can be sold to the consumer, then when it is desired to form the original package into my improved stocking container the layer 21can be entirely removed from its point of closure over the opening 20 or that part adjacent the opening can be cut away as is indicated in Fig. 6.

In the foregoing description it has been set forth that the form of container last described is adapted for use as an original package in which hosiery may be sold, but it will also be understood that the forms illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawing can likewise be used in this capacity, and when it is desired to adapt these forms as an original container the first pair of stockings inserted into the tube will be wrapped to prevent soiling and the collection of dust thereon through the openings 5 and 12, re-

spectively, then a suitable closing cap can be provided for the upper open end of the tube or the last pair of stockings to be inserted in the tube can be wrapped also and in this way, by providing a transparent wrapping for the stockings which occupy a position adjacent the removal opening of the tube it can be told at a glance the quality and color of the hosiery contained in the receptacle and each pair of hose will be kept in a clean, fresh condition as the unwrapped hose are away from any opening to the atmosphere. lVhile I have herein shown and described only specific forms of myinvention, it will be understood that other slight changes might be made in. the form and arrange ment of the several parts comprising the structure without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to be limited thereto except for such limitations as the claims may import.

I claim:

1. A container for stockings comprising a tubular body member made up of a plurality of sections secured together to permit folding of the sameto a collapsed position, and a part of one of said sections formed to be re- I ceived within the tubular cross section of said container to hold the sections distended to an open position.

2. A container for stockings comprising a tubular body member made upof a plurality of sections hinged and connected together to permit folding to a collapsed position, and a tongue out from one of said sections to be bent inwardly to wedge within the tubular cross section of said container to hold the;

sections thereof distended in the open relation and to provide an outlet opening above the bottom thus formed for the container.

3. A container for stockings comprising a tubular body member made up of a plurality of sections hinged and connected together to be collapsed to a fiat relation to rest one against the other, and a tongue out from one of said sections to be of a configuration corresponding to the cross section of the tubular body member and to be folded from said section to wedge across and between the sections to hold the body members distended and to provide an outlet opening above the bottom thus provided for the container.

1. A container for stockings comprising four side members hingedly connected together at their edges to permit folding of the same to a collapsed and flat relation, and a tongue out from one ofthe sides to be of a configuration corresponding to the cross section of the tubular body portion and said tongue arranged to be folded inwardly be tween the sides and hold the container in a distended relation and at the same time to form a bottom therefor.

5. A container for stockings comprising four rectangular side members connected hingedly at their edges to form a body portion which in the distended relation is rectangular in cross section, a rectangular tongue approximating the cross section of said tubular body portion cut from one of said sides to be bent inwardly between the sides to hold the same distended, and all of said parts so formed and arranged that as in the tubular body the sides thereof are supported to be held in their tubular relation and the tongue forms a bottom near the lower end of the tubular body member with 15 the opening thereabove.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NELSON BLOUNT. \Vitnesses F. T. RICHTER, ADRIAN DURIEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

. Washington, D. C. 

